[181] The Tides of Life

[obabscribbler.livejournal.com]

Challenge: [181] Watch
Title: The Tides of Life
Word Count: 598
Anything else: Inspired by Lisa Scottoline.

 

It was the glass of water that did it.

 

He’d never been good with words, but lately he’d descended to monosyllables, and then just grunts. Sometimes someone coaxed a sentence from him, but mostly he communicated through penetrating stares and indistinct mumbles. He spoke through action: the swing of his sword, the placement of his feet, the way muscles in his arms and legs tightened, those were how he made his meaning clear.

 

But in a group where words were paramount, not everyone understood that. Yuffie thought he was just moody, but words cascaded from Yuffie’s mouth like water over pebbles, never stopping, always rushing merrily even when people on the bank threw rocks in. Yuffie just flowed over and around problems, so busy talking them into submission that any other approach was swept away on the current of her personality.

 

Tifa was better, though she still relied on words. She wanted to understand: Where are you going now? Why won’t you let me help you? Why are you unhappy? How can I make things better? She received few answers, but that didn’t stop her asking.

 

Leon was a man of few words, but still a man of words. He gave orders and expected them followed. He, more than anyone, understood the lexicon of combat with a blade – parry, thrust, stab – but the dirtier side of battle – eye-gouge, knee-break, gut-rip – was a language only ever half-learned. Though he’d never admit it, Leon still believed in the nobility of fighting for what was right. He cared about people and tried to ensure their safety by shouting on and off the battlefield because they needed to be versions of himself to survive.

 

Cid’s words were usually blue, scattered like petals after a gale through a cherry tree – although he’d cuss you back to your Great-Great-Grandpappy for saying so. Cid grumbled, even when nobody listened. You could count on him, but calling on Cid meant calling on enough swearing to make a sailor blush – just like calling on Merlin meant every conversation frosted with enough arcane jargon to induce a coma from boredom.

 

Words suffused Hollow Bastion: rebuilding suggestions, commands for defences, problem-solving with Sora, and celebrations when the tide finally seemed to turn. They needed words; to survive, to reassure and comfort, to keep their identities, and to stay connected with those around them.

 

Except he didn’t. He talked, but didn’t need words the way everyone else did. More of what he meant was in what he didn’t say. Even more came through his eyes, though they often seemed so angry and sad it was shocking to rediscover they could show anything else. You could tell who was precious to him by who he was watching when they went into battle.

 

When she awoke, exhaustion clinging like cobwebs, he was in the chair next to her bed. The stains on his clothes and face said he’d been there all night, watching her. His eyes held some ill-defined emotion, but he didn’t speak. Others would’ve asked how she was, or said she was stupid using so much energy, but he kept silent.

 

He held out a glass of water.

 

He’d known her mouth would be dry. Such a simple gesture, but it signified so much that her heart actually felt like it’d swapped sides. She accepted wordlessly, because there wasn’t any need for her to speak. His offer and her acceptance was more than he could reduce to words.

 

She looked at her reflection and, despite being so tired it felt like she’d been scoured through with broken glass, she smiled.

 

Comments

[greedchan.livejournal.com]

Aw, I enjoyed this. I like that you can tell who you're talking about after only a few words, despite not using names. Also, noble!Leon is cute. xD

[obabscribbler.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[vilajunkie.livejournal.com]

Nice to see some Cloud/Aerith for a change, instead of Cloud/Leon.

[obabscribbler.livejournal.com]

I like Cloud/Leon, but I can't write it for toffee. Plus Cloud and Aerith just have so much chemistry in KH hey're fascinating to look at. Thank you!

[idiosynacophony.livejournal.com]

Oooh, I like how at the end, it makes itself clear who doing the narrating (even though it's in third person—who is doing the watching, I should say. :D) and I love your concept of words and the glass of water at the end. ♥ Also, love the water reference in the title—everything in this fic just fits together, and I love love that. ♥♥♥

Also I love the way you can parse everyone's character and the comments about words and the descriptions, and your language choice is fabulous and. um. everything? :D♥

[obabscribbler.livejournal.com]

You're making me blush. I adore writing in patterns, though it's debateable how often they succeed. It's nice to know this one worked out. ^_^ Thank you!

[savagelilies.livejournal.com]

I was a bit confused as to who the narrator was, at first--I thought it was Leon, but by the fifth paragraph I knew it was Cloud. Overall, though, this is just beautiful. I love the descriptions of their speech patterns, and how the prompt tied this all together. I especially loved the description of how Yuffie talks. It’s just so... Yuffie. And the Cloud/Aerith is at the end is beautiful, too.